Five Uncovered
by resurrection-rings
Summary: Here, the identity, legacies, and stories of Number Five are finally revealed.
1. Chapter 1

**ANY IDEAS HERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LORIEN LEGACIES SERIES BELONG TO PITTACUS LORE. I TAKE NO OWNERSHIP OF THIS WORK.**

Chapter One – Five on the Fly

The London night, saturated with twinkling lights, is beautiful from above. Free from the booming sounds of a city that never sleeps, and hidden from the endless accumulation of filth that is characteristic of most major cities, the London seen from the sky is a piece of art. Illuminated by a white-orange glow, cooled by a fierce breeze, it is an exhilarating sight, one that inspires thoughts of freedom, and can't help but make one feel that if she were to just jump out into the night, the wind would pick her up like a feather, and send her flying across currents of air.

Number Five looked down upon this artistic mirage, gazing in awe at the bank of the Thames River, with its water lapping up against the bank, illuminated by city lights. She loved watching the wind push tiny waves into formation, loved how the lights were reflected in the River's cloudy surface, how the boats, glowing with their hanging lanterns, seemed to glide effortlessly by below her.

It has been awhile since her Guardian passed, shot through the heart by a Mogadorian arrow. It had happened in the early days of the Mog invasion, before they had enough financing for the full-tilt weapons of mass destruction. She knew Loria would never have approved of her five-story balcony. It was too open, conspicuous, expensive, too high off the ground, many rational things that would have kept Five from enjoying her life in the past. But now it was different. She was on her own.

She truly did miss Loria. She had literally been like a mother to Five, caring for her since childhood, watching her back at every turn. It was the saddest time in all of her life when she passed, and it affected her deeply – changed her into a new person. With the death, Five had decided it was inevitable, this whole dying thing. It couldn't be prevented even if you ran all your life, hid in a hole underground, changed your name to Jane Doe, nothing could stop it. So might as well enjoy what life has to offer.

It was not these optimistic philosophies that ran through her mind, however, when she heard a knock on the door, and a raspy voice coming from behind.

"Open up, fivey wivey, we knowwww you're in there."

Suddenly, her serene calm was crashed, carried away like a dead rat on the Thames'. Suddenly, the view was not so worth it anymore.

"Come out come out wherever you areee."

The voice continued, and Five decided to look out the peephole to see if they were preparing to break down the door – a huge mistake. Staring back at her was the eye of a monster, ringed with red, filled with hate.

"Ha, there you are!"

The next thing Five saw before she dove for cover was the barrel of a red blaster. She screamed when she heard the first shot, terrified when she peeked over the couch and saw a burning hole in the center of the door, one booted foot stepping through.

She screamed even louder, her voice pinching the Mog's eardrums in discomfort.

Then she saw it – her way out.

As the Mogadorian entered her apartment, his friends soon to follow, she ran towards the balcony, not so happy as before when she noticed the twinkling street lights illuminating a five story drop down into the River. She took one last, deep breath of city air before she heard the sound of another shot being fired. And then she jumped.

* * *

The crowd of would-be attackers sniffed the open air on the balcony, searching for a trace of Five. Had she really committed suicide? The Mogs were delighted by the prospects of having their jobs done for them, but it was strange. This would be the first time one had ever given up without a fight - and of course they would be telling their cohorts that she took one look at them and killed herself out of fear. But it was too risky to guess. They would have to take a look.

* * *

Now standing at the entrance to the apartment building that had served host to her lovely balcony, Five eyed the Mogadorian's huge sixteen-wheeler parked out front, scoffing at the idea of all of those Mogs trying to pass as truckers on the highway. It would probably be nice to rid them of that burden. No one likes pretending.

Grabbing a rag from the glove compartment and some gas from the tank, Five soon had a cozy little bonfire heating up London. And then she ran. And ran. And ran.

She kept sprinting until she found a place where she was sure nobody would spot her. And then, jumping softly upwards, she flew out into the London night.

**Love feedback, positive or negative!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Five's dark, auburn hair blew back against her in the breeze as she soared overheard. The cold wind burned her eyes, but she did not close them for fear of flying head-on into unexpected traffic (namely pigeons). A tear slowly slid down her cheek, both a product of her newly awakened sadness and of her uncomfortable predicament.

Traveling at unbelievable speeds, it was not long before she saw the familiar sights for which she was looking. As she zipped through the air, she saw boats drifting on the waves, others tied to docks, fishermen unloading their bounty from nets teeming with the slimy inhabitants of the sea. This was home.

She loved the salty, fresh smell of spray drifting up from the water, and breathed it in as deeply as she could while she started to slow down her flight and descend into a discreet location. It was not hard to find one in the town of Marseilles, France, as she knew every nook and cranny by heart.

It was here that Five had grown up, and every day until the age of sixteen she had spent running through the streets, causing havoc among the villagers. Some of the fishermen even knew how to spot her by the sight of her light brown flats...they had noticed her footprints leading away from a myriad of unfortunate accidents. But as she only picked on the ones everyone else hated too (due to the fact that they were often blithering idiots or despicable scumbags), she could always count on those in the know to keep their mouths shut.

"Why does she have to be so mean!" One of her victims complained, sitting on an old stool by his boat, drinking from a bottle of old liquor.

"Well I'm not exactly sure why _Lina_ decided to light your nets on fire, but I know _I_ would've given the chance!" Was the general response given to these sorts of inquiries.

Five loved the name she had chosen for Earth – it was Loria's idea, of course, who always had such great vision. She felt it suited her well, but mostly it just reminded her of the old times. When she had someone to guide her forward when she didn't know what to do.

Landing in a back alleyway unbeknownst to anyone but herself, Lina tried to force these thoughts out of her head. They were only distracting at this point – the pain of remembering had long since turned to numbness.

Quickly she ran out, eager to be greeted again by sea spray and the bustle of Marseilles. And looking not that much different at nineteen from the girl she was only three years prior, Lina ended up walking no more than two blocks before being recognized.

"Lina! Hey wait up!"

Her breath caught in her throat when she heard his voice. Jake. Lina tried to avoid eye contact and walk swiftly on her way, hoping that he would suddenly realize that she was just a mirage and walk away the opposite direction. But she had no such luck.

Grabbing her shoulder, he spun her around from behind. "Lina, is that really you?" His face had an expression of earnestness about it, like a puppy-dog begging for a walk.

"Hi Jake."

"Oh my gosh, how is this possible! I thought you left! I thought you were gone! After your mom-"

He stopped short, realizing what he'd almost said. He silently cursed himself for being so careless. "I'm sorry Lina, I- I'm just glad your back."

"It's good to be back."

There was quite the awkward silence at that. Jake and Lina were practically a traffic hazard, standing in the street like a couple of stubborn cows.

` After a few minutes Lina decided it was enough. "Well alright then, I better go. I wouldn't want to miss the rest of this conversation, but I've got to-"

"Wait!" Jake grabbed her arm before she got too far away. There was a look of desperation in his eyes. "Why don't we go to my house. I can get you a hot chocolate or something, like I used to."

Lina had to smile thinking of those old times, gossiping about all the people that made them tick, laughing, sipping hot chocolate, sometimes crying if the laughing became too violent. "Yeah, I guess so, why not." She knew she had somewhere to be, but nostalgia got the best of her.

It was a short ten minute walk to Jake's house – or shack would be a better term. He was about twenty, and with his parents unwilling to finance his music career, it was a struggle even to pay rent on his little one-bedroom. He didn't seem embarrassed by it though. In fact, he was rather proud of his little abode, and took great care to make sure it was always at least comfortable.

"It's umm...cozy," Lina said, ducking a spiderweb.

"Here you go, one hot chocolate," Jake sat down at a little three legged table, putting Lina's mug next to his own, beckoning her to take a seat next to him.

"Thanks." Lina again had to conceal her surprise upon taking a sip of hot chocolate. Apparently his mom had been making it all those years, because Jake obviously had confused chocolate for something much more foul...perhaps duck droppings.

"So how long are you staying for?" Jake said, leaning closer toward Lina.

She now noticed a fire blazing in the hearth behind them, the main accessory in Jake's small, circular living room, which housed only a small brown couch in addition to all of the other features. She hoped there was a bathroom hiding somewhere as well.

"Oh probably just a day or so," she answered. "I just have something quick to take care of, and then I'm off."

"Ohh, I see," Jake replied, a hardly concealed disappointment dripping in his tone.

"Well, here's to today, I guess," he continued, trying to force a cordial smile on his frowning expression. The two clinked glasses awkwardly, both about to die– one of embarrassment and regret, one of boredom and crushed expectations. But, altogether, it is possible that these feelings were shared mutually, and with equal distribution.

"Here's to today," Lina said, quickly gulping down the last of her drink, and getting up from her rickety chair. "And I should probably go now, given the time and all."

It was noon.

"Alright then, will you at least come back to say goodbye."

"Sure, sure, of course"

Lina headed for the door, and was just about to turn the handle when Jake bleated out awkwardly again. "Wait!" She turned around.

He paused for a considerable amount of time before speaking further. "I meant to give this to you before you left town all that time ago, but...you left so soon...I never got the chance."

He left the room for a short second, disappearing into an adjoining chamber before returning with something in his hand.

It was a letter, sealed with red wax, like it was from someone important. "What is it?"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly, but I think it's from Bobby, that family friend of your mother's, he told me to give it to you right after your mom..."

"Oh," Lina reached out and took the letter, even though she was fairly certain she'd never heard of a Bobby in her life. She felt the reluctance in Jake's grip. It must've been hard to let go of that last connection to one another.

As she left through his doorway out into the sunny French day, Jake scowled deeply. She obviously didn't love him anymore. But why would he have expected anything less, with his little ramshackle estate, and, he knew, terrible hot chocolate. He had hope fervently, as soon as he saw her face, for a joyful reunion, but things like that simply don't happen in real life.

He walked slowly into his bedroom, grabbing up an old telephone attached to the wall, and dialed an unknown number.

"Yeah," he said, with the receiver up to his ear. "Don't worry, we got her."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Lina:

Listen, I'm so sorry for bothering you considering all that's happened, but I felt I just couldn't leave you in the dark, not anymore. I'm an old friend of Loria's and well, I know about your situation. If Jake gets this to you in time, I'll be in Cafe Detestez on the river. I own the joint so you have about twenty years to find me before I die or make enough money to go on vacation. Either way, I look forward to our talk, and wish you the best of luck.

Bobby

Lina folded up the now crinkled slip of paper and tucked it into her back jeans pocket, mulling over the contents in her mind. She sat on an old, fragile wooden bench, with brown paint peeling off to reveal splintering pine. She wondered if the cafe was still really there. Would Loria really talk to someone about her?

She imagined it would be lonely, the life of a guardian, living light years from home, tasked with the taking care of a child she'd never known. Lina could picture herself giving in to that kind of loneliness, being desperate for someone to share her burdens. It would be hard to fight that kind of instinct.

The sudden cry of a distressed duck snapped Lina back to her original train of thought, before the mysterious letter was torn open by anxious fingers. She got quickly up from the bench, producing a creak in its rusty joints. It was fall, and a few orange leaves were scattered across the cobbled ground. A cool breeze chilled the air, causing Lina to hug her warm fleece tight against her body.

Her hands twitched as she walked, out of nervousness much more than the shivers creeping through her bones. She traveled up the pathway slowly, torn between a desire to reach her destination as soon as possible and an intense fear of the unknown that was holding her back. When she arrived at a cherry red door set into a cream-colored, brick apartment complex, it was with shuddering breaths that she grasped its knocker and sent three heavy thuds echoing throughout the building. Footsteps could soon be heard approaching the entrance, accompanied by a wizened old face shortly thereafter.

"Hello there, what can I do for you today miss?"

"Umm, um, well, I was just wondering, me and my mom used to live here, until, we had to, er, move away. It's just, I was hoping that I could be able to see it one last time..."

"Oh are you miss Lina! I heard what happened before, so very, very terrible. My neighbor told me about it, when I moved in, was trying to scare me from buying the place, if you can believe it!"

The old woman was a wretched sight. She was shrouded by a long, tattered silk robe of the brightest red, and only about half of her teeth remained intact. In fact, most of her features were not at all present as they should be, including her hair and eyebrows.

"Well that's not very nice."

"No, no it wasn't!" The woman huffed, obviously still deeply offended and baffled by the wrongdoings committed against her.

"Well do come in!" Lina was led upstairs, the lady claiming that the bottom floor was much too messy for company. The pitter-patter of tiny feet could be heard running across kitchen-floor tile...

"Why don't I show you your old room first."

Lina's brow began to perspire, palms sweating. Her eyes had been starting to well up, but she wiped them away frequently enough to hide it from the elderly tenant.

"That sounds great."

She walked into a room that had often plagued her dreams. Its walls were plain as could be, painted the most boring shade of off-white that could possibly exist. The entire room seemed to be designed for a quick getaway, no holes in the wall signifying frames might have once hung there, no scratches or drawings, no signs of any life at all. Only a mirror still stood intact, forgotten.

The lady noticed Lina's sudden shortness of breath and trembling legs. "Why don't I give you a moment alone."

She nodded gratefully in response as the woman left, bending down to sit on her knees, and crying mournfully at the empty room, so devoid of life.

She sobbed for many minutes, racked with grief. This was the first time she'd ever been back since the death, and memories were coming flooding back. Her first step, first laugh, first time Loria read her a bed time story.

But despite her overwhelming condition,a single part of her body still managed to remain true to her purpose. One hand reached out slowly, sloppily toward a loose floorboard, and pulled it up to reveal a compartment beneath. Laying before her was a box - her Box. She opened it quickly and held up what was inside. A slim piece of wood, carved like a wand.

Curiosity temporarily replacing grief, Lina brought the beautifully crafted artifact closer to her face, studying its ornately detailed surface. The wood was olive green, carvings of rose stems wrapping around it. It smelled a little bit of olives too, forcing Lina's nose into an unsavory wrinkle.

She looked back at the box, noticing a very detailed and complex encasing, similar to the wand in its flourish and style. It was lined with sapphires and silver trim. Knowing the poor old tenant was certainly not letting her out of the apartment with buried treasure, she put the box back under the floorboards and wrapped its contents inside of her jacket.

Lina stood up slowly and turned towards the door, pushing herself off the ground with the force of her hands against the floor. When she had turned all the way around, the mirror suddenly greeted her with an unfriendly image. Her usually sky blue eyes were red, bloodshot, tear stains visible on the sides of her cheeks. She looked deeply into that face, deeply into those grieving eyes for what was only a second, and marched steadily downstairs to thank the tenant for her hospitality and head on her way.

She soon found herself back in the crisp autumn air, strolling down by the piers and shops. Having had enough drama and intrigue for the day, she decided to stop in a small restaurant on the water, hoping for a break from life in general. She ordered a hamburger the size of her head and a hot chocolate for old times sake.

She scarfed down her meal rapidly, pausing intermittently for air, but other than that, nothing seemed to slow her in her mission for nourishment.

"Excuse me miss, are you Lina?"

"Yes, how are you?"

"Good, and you?"

"Very good at the moment thanks."

Lina continued to devour her food as the man stood there at her table, waiting to be noticed. It took her quite awhile to realize that she had not heard the departing footsteps characteristic after most waiter-customer exchanges.

"Sorry, can I help you?"

"Oh, I thought you knew. I'm Bobby."

The last of Lina's food stopped in her throat, and she flushed bright red. "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't realize this was your cafe, I just wandered in."

"Oh I see," Bobby replied, pulling up a chair to her table. "Well I'm just glad we got a chance to meet!" The man was cheerful, his ruddy cheeks and twinkling eyes just prominent enough to distract from his overstuffed belly.

"Umm, me too."

"I know this must be hard for you but I just needed to discuss this with someone. I mean, it's crazy, the whole thing!" He lowered his voice. "That you're a-an alien."

Lina leaned forward across the table, speaking in hushed tones, "Shh, keep it down! No one can hear you!"

"Oh yes, sorry, sorry. I can get a little overexcited sometimes"

He paused for a moment, scanning the room, gesturing toward Lina's mug. "Do you like your hot chocolate Five?" His tone was more sinister now, his eyes locking with hers.

"How did you know i was number-" The hot chocolate. It was familiar, eerily reminiscent of the kind Jake's mom had made for them all those years ago. Suspicion started to creep through Lina's bones.

"Who are you Bobby?"

"Well, I suppose my formal name is Setrakus Ra."

At that moment, the walls of Cafe Detestez began to grumble, causing the entire restaurant to shake with violent force. "Help!" Lina screamed instinctively out, but no one was there to answer her call. Everyone had conveniently left moments before.

Slowly but surely, the cafe drifted out to sea, its walls now fallen to reveal a floating barge, previously hidden by the layers of brick and ceramic tile decorating the humble eatery.

"It's interesting really," Setrakus Ra said. "How trusting you people can be."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Lina's head was blistering with pain, throbbing mercilessly with each beat of her heart. She awoke slowly, reaching out her arms to yawn, but was met with a strong resistance, and her limbs snapped back by her sides. She shot awake, eyes wide, pain forgotten.

"Oh calm down, your going to tire yourself if you keep flailing about like that." Setrakus Ra's throaty, sinister voice sent shivers down Lina's spine.

The room the two unlikely companions now shared was quite the opposite from Five's. It was evident by the bright scarlet walls, furniture, and plush carpet that Ra liked to show off. His television was a full eighty-four inches and the crystal clear image of a kitten using a litter-box danced across its surface. Even its minuscule poops were visible in high definition.

"There was a little mishap at the usual place we'd send you to spend the night so I decided to let you go ahead and enjoy the amenities here." His smile stretched from ear to ear, revealing teeth covered in yellow plaque.

Lina hung, suspended inches above the floor by a series of coarse brown rope, on the wall next to the TV. She could feel a warmth creeping up her toes and, looking down, saw a blazing hearth beneath her.

"Why am I here?"

"Ha! Stupid girl! Didn't your cepan teach you anything?"

"But you can't hurt me until we're reunited, you can only kill us in order!"

"Ahh, that is true. But your friends have been very naughty Five, they've been quite happy wandering across the country without you."

Lina's body, perhaps realizing for the first time her truly hopeless situation, began convulsing in fear, struggling against her bonds. But they were strong, and held her back from escape.

"Aww poor little Lina," Ra snarled. "Don't worry." He reached up his hand toward Lina's face, stroking gently the hairline behind her ears. She tilted her face away from his slimy hands as far as the ropes would allow.

"You're just bait for now."

* * *

John Smith tossed and turned in his sleep, his dreams seeming to swirl endlessly around in his mind. The image of a girl, with crystalline blue eyes and silk, dark streams of hair took shape.

She was bound and gagged, hanging like a limp doll, her expression the epitome of unadulterated despair.

It was Five. It had to be.

Four startled awake, sleeping in a tent only five miles from the Mogodorian prison his group had just escaped. "I will find you," he silently promised. "The Garde will not let you down."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The tents were arranged in a circle, around a fire long since put out. Only a few wisps of smoke floated off of the now dampened logs. They were in a clearing, devoid of the many tall trees currently surrounding them and concealing them from sight. It was a peaceful night, with little noise to be heard coming from within the forest. Of course, that description does not include the hoards of grasshoppers concealing themselves in the tall, wild grass.

Six sat away from these tents, attracted in her sleeplessness to the twinkling stars now peaking in the dark sky. She crossed her legs on a heavy log she had found on the edge of the clearing, perfect for sitting to avoid the countless worms and cicadas burrowing underneath the ground. She did not know how or why she was unable to sleep, but her mind nonetheless felt as if it had just absorbed an obscene amount of sugar.

Stirring noises were coming from one or two of the tents, probably caused by a restless dream or ghoulish nightmare. It would not be uncommon in a group such as this to have have troubled dreams, even though the movements could also very likely be the product of those agitated by the cramped living space inside the tents.

A few days ago, the group had stumbled across three tarp canvasses abandoned on the edge of the forest – one which they had also only discovered by a bizarre stroke of luck. But as pleased as they were to have found both, it was still something of a struggle to share a space with at least two other magical beings. Sarah had quite often woken up in her tent with a handful of Lumen in her face.

They had to get a move on, Six thought. For five days, the group had sat in the clearing and lived off stolen goods, unwilling to compromise their newfound safety for uncertainty. With Malcolm's tablet, they were now able for the first time to have a solid grasp on what to do next, but some insisted on being just as ignorant as before.

"What's the purpose of it all!" Sarah had said. "Even if you find one of these Loric ships or this Number Five person, what good is that against Setrakus Ra!"

"She's right," John said, wrapping his arm around her. "We should be conserving our strength for the next time we really need it. Not wasting it on some wild goose chase."

That was when Six had started yelling – loudly.

"Conserving our strength! For what, we can't kill him by ourselves, we need help, and it isn't called bravery to deny that." She stormed away, stomping out into the forest. It was not until darkness fell that she returned,and by then everyone had passed out from exhaustion.

At that moment, in which Six's tired mind was almost swimming in a world of dreams, Four sprinted from his tent, breathing heavily, sweat covering his muscular body.

"Great," Six muttered, "Wonderboy's at it again."

"Six!" John yelled urgently. "Five! I saw her!"

Lina still hung on Setrakus Ra's scarlet wall, still felt her toes burning above the fireplace, and was still being forced to watch cat litter commercials on an eighty-four inch television, but no longer did she feel so hopeless. The boy in her dreams was coming – he would save her, she was sure.

"Hmm, you seem different," Ra said to her, snarling. "Was the nap refreshing?" His eyes sparkled gleefully, like a kid about to finally bully his parents into buying him a new computer.

"Well, it definitely made great entertainment for me," he hissed. "Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

Lina went cold as the television screen flickered to a familiar scene. It was a clearing with three tents, and, running as fast as he could toward a girl Lina had never seen, was the boy from her dream.

"Ha, they sure thought they were really lucky coming across this forest!"

"No!"

"Oh yesss, we've been watching them for quite some time my Lina." Setrakus Ra reached behind the TV, locating a bright red button with his fingers, and pressed it. A click resonated throughout the room, and fire spread across the screen.

"No! Nooo!" Lina cried, watching her would-be rescuers incinerated on the television before her.

In that furious instant, time stopped. The screen froze. Setrakus Ra's smile stuck in place on his abnormal face, and his body fell to the ground – still.

Time went backwards.

A flurry of images – flailing limbs, burning fires, hot chocolate – raced across Lina's vision.

"Hi, I'm Bobby."

Lina looked down at her plate. There was a half-eaten hamburger sitting in front of her.

"No...you're really not." She ran as fast as she could from the cafe, jumping into the sky for all to see, heading for a clearing in the woods...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Lina stood in an old, abandoned stretch of wilderness, sprawling out from behind a suburban subdivision. It had been marked for construction years earlier, but after two long environmental lawsuits and one protest by the surrounding neighborhood, it was left to grow out into untamed forest. Grass reached up to Lina's knees, and she had to constantly swat away at pestilent mosquitoes.

The bothersome wilderness, however, only occupied part of her mind as she caressed the delicate wand in her hands. She once again admired its ornately designed, olive-colored surface, wondering what secrets it might hold. She had already spent hours thinking, remembering all the things about Lorien her cepan had taught her, but still could not decipher what this artifact might do.

It was intensely frustrating; the only thing she had succeeded in doing was giving herself a little scratch on the wand's pointed tip.

"Ugg!" she muttered in frustration. "I need to find them!"

And at that moment, the wand started to glow. Its olive surface became a fluorescent green, and it began to tug away from Lina, as if attracted by a magnetic force. It was pointing west, toward the United States.

Jumping up into the cool air, allowing herself to be taken away by the breeze, Lina smiled, following her new guide's steady aim.

"I'm coming," she whispered, the image of John Smith dancing in her mind. She would not let him die.


End file.
